1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic pedometer for measuring the number of steps by detecting a walk of a person or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, there has been developed an electronic pedometer for measuring the number of steps of a user by detecting a walk of the user using a walk sensor.
A watch type pedometer which is used by being worn on a wrist of a user like a watch has been developed as the electronic pedometer (refer to Patent Document 1 for example).
With the above conventional watch type electronic pedometer, since a pendulum sensor is used, the number of steps can be measured in a normal walk in which a user walks while he/she naturally swings his/her arms. However, there is encountered a problem that the number of steps cannot be measured in a case where a user walks with his/her arm being fixed to a predetermined position (e.g., at the ear) without swinging his/her arms, for example, in a case where the user walks while he/she communicates with someone using his/her mobile telephone.
In addition, while not being of a watch type, a product has also been developed with which the number of steps can be measured even in a state in which no arm is swung as in a state in which an electronic pedometer is held in a pocket or the like. In this case, two sensors are used and are disposed so as to perpendicularly intersect each other. As a result, the number of steps can be measured even in a state in which the electronic pedometer is held in a pocket or the like. However, there is encountered a problem in that a volume increases and circuits for amplifying signals from the sensors are required to be doubled in number because the two sensors are used, or when the electronic pedometer is driven in a time division manner in order to prevent such a situation, a time period required to drive the circuits increases, and hence the electronic pedometer of this type is unsuitable for the watch type pedometer.
<Patent Document 1> JP 2002-221434 A
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic pedometer, used at least by wearing a walk sensor on a wrist, which is capable of being miniaturized and of detecting a walk in a state in which no arm is swung.